Regulating the air circulation through air-cooled locomotive-condensers



F. LJUNGSTROM.

TIVE CONDENSERS.

REGULATING THE AIR CIRCULATIO N THROUGH AIR COOLED LOCO MO APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, I919- Patented Mar. 8, 1921.

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rnnmm: Launes'mom, or 31mm, Lmmoon, swEDEN, ASSIGNOR :ro AKTIE- BOLAGET munos'raous ANGTURBIN, or srocxnomr, SWEDEN, A 00320- RATI ON.

REGULATING THE AIR CIRCULATION THROUGH AIIR-COOIIED LOdOMOTIVE-CON- 'DENTERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 8, 1921.

Application filed. March 27, 1919. Serial No. 285,704.

moving parts of the locomotive are used to effect a circulation of the air, and in which, if found suitable, air-catching devices are disposed to produce an increased air circulation. The object of theinvention is to render the fan and the air-catching device independent of variations in the speed of the locomotive.

This will be obtained according to the present invention by regulating the volume of air passing through the cooler byv means of an apparatus constructed so as to be sensitive to variations in the speed of the locomotive, the said apparatus changing its position according as the speed of the locomotive varies.

In one embodiment of the invention this apparatus is preferably arranged so that it will be subjected to the difference in pressure between two different places in the cooler. Assuming the speed of the locom0- tive to change,'then the said circulation of air, and consequently the air pressure on either side of the air cooler is tending to Vary on account thereof while the fans or the like, which effect the circulation of air, are being driven from the locomotive. According to the invention this variation is utilized to regulate the speed of the fan or the like so as to increase this speed if the pressure is tending to fall, and vice-versa.

The mechanical device, by, means of which the said effect is attained, consists for instance of a piston influenced by the two pressures acting in front of and behind the cooler, respectively, counted inthe direction of the air current, the said piston operating a change-speed transmission gear between the fan orthe like and its driving means.

The air catching device may be operated in the same manner as the fan and, on the whole, by means of the same regulating device.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved arrangement, partly in section..

F g. 2 is a plan detail thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, and i Fig. 4 is a detail of the diaphragm.

1 denotes the air cooler through which air is being forced by means of the fans 2 and 3. 4 is the air catching device which consists of a series of j alousie-like catching screens 13 turning on pins 14, the same being also pivotally connected to common regulating rods 15.-

The fans 2 and 3 are driven by means of friction disks 5 and 6 respectively, the said disks bearing against friction planes 16 of the fans 2 and 3. 17 designates the journals of the fans which are mounted in bearings carried by cross beams 18.

The friction disks 5 and 6 are mounted on shafts 19, one of which is arranged above the fans, while the other shaft is disposed underneath'the fans, both shafts being movable in the longitudinal direction in bearings mounted on the beams 18. By toothed wheels 20 attached to the shafts, motion is transmitted to the latter, for instance through the medium of a gearing generally designated 20 driven from one of the wheel axles as shown in Fig. 3.

The ends of the shafts 19 are journaled in bearings 21 in such manner that they can not be axially moved in said bearings, the latter being attached to a piston rod 22 connected with the piston 23 moving in the cylinder 24. 12 denotes a servo-motor of a known type which communicates with the perforated tanks in front of and at the end of cooler 1 by pipes 8 and 9 respectively and partly communicates with the spaces on either side of the piston 23 by means of pipes 25 and 26 respectively.

In this connection it is to be noted that the pipes 8 and 9 are arranged in a current of air flowing in from the sides of the car and leaving it immediately above the elements 1.

The fact that there is an air current, will are given a suit-able form.

the oil reservoir.

From the piston rod 22 projects a cross head which is pivotally connected with two levers 10 fulcrumed on pins 11, the said levers being connected with the regulating rods 15.

The servo motor generally denoted by the numeral 12 consists of pipes 8 and 9 which extend to the'perforated tanks at the front and rear ends of the cooler and the pressures in these pipes are caused to respectively act on either side of the piston 35 or diaphragm 35', as shown in Fig. 4 within the cylinder 36. This piston 35 is connected with piston slide rod 37 the latter also carrying a piston 38 which operates in the cylinder 40. The

cylinder 40 is filled with oil and communicates with four pipes for instance pressure oil pipe 41 serving as an inlet for the oil while the pipe 42 constitutes the outlet and pipes 25 and 26 establish communication be tween the oil cylinder 40 and cylinder 24 which houses the piston 23. The apparatus thus transforms the small power obtained from the difference in the air pressures between the pipes 8 and 9 into large power by means of oil pressure. in the following manner. 7

Assuming that the pressure in pipe 8 is greater than in pipe 9 then the piston 35 is pressed 11% to the top of the cylinder 36 shown in ig. 3, the piston 38 being also at the top of the cylinder 40. Through the oil supply pipe 41 oil is being fed through pipe 25 to the cylinder 24 causing a displacement of the piston 23 while the oil on the other side of the piston escapes through the pipe 26 and from the oil cylinder through 42 to If conditions regarding the relative pipes 8 and 9 are reversed, the movements of the piston, etc., will also be reversed, the rod 22 then moving in an opposite direction. Movements may thus be obtained in a shaft which according to the oil pressure, etc., may transmit a considerable amount of power the direction of which depends on the relative pressure prevailing in the air cooler.

The operation of the apparatus is as fol lows.

. If the locomotive be driven at a normal speed, the fans are rotating at a normal speed also, and the air catching screens 13 assume a normal position.

Now, if the speed of the locomotive is increased, the fans also tend to increase their speed, whereby the difference between the pressures at the mouths of the pipes 8 and 9 begins to rise. The servo-motor 12 is thus brought in action, and the pressure fluid enters the space in front of the piston 23 through the pipe 26, and causes the piston 23 to move toward the left. The whole of the driving system for the fans is taking part in this motion, whereby the friction disks 5 and 6 are advanced outward relatively to the center of the planes 16, the speed-of the fans thus being reduced to the normal. It will be undersides, of the cooler 1 is regulating itself so that it settles on a certain constant or nearly constant value. It is obvious, however, that other principles may also be applied; the essential thing is that a regulating member is provided which is sensitive to the variations in speed of the locomotive, the said member in its turn influencing the fans and the air catching device respectively. For example, a centrifugal governor driven by the fan or its driving means may be used for regulating the air catching device and the transmission gear respectively. Instead of using the piston 23, a diaphragm may be employed as well, and so forth.

' What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In locomotives provided with an aircooled condenser and fansefi'ecting an airflow through the condenser, said fans being driven by one of the movable parts of the locomotive, the arrangement that the fans are driven by the aid of an apparatus changing its position according to the speed of the locomotive in such a manner that the ratio of speed between the fans and the locomotive is varied upon variations of the speed of the locomotive.

2. In locomotives provided with an aircooled condenser and with fans to produce an air-current flowing through the cooler, the fans being driven from one of the moving parts of the locomotive, and means for driving a fan the position of which is altered according to the speed of the locomotive in such manner that the ratio of speed between the fan and the locomotive is varied when the speed of the locomotive changes, and an adjustable transmission gear associated with said means and the fan :tfo insure of an efiective regulation of the 3. A locomotive as claimed in clam 1 wherein a separate catching device is used for the catching in of the air, consisting of an adjustable screen arrangement connected with the same means which is employed to regulate the speed of the fan.

4. In locomotives provided with an aircooled condenser and with fans to produce an air-current flowing through the cooler, the fans being driven from one of the moving parts of the locomotive, means for driving a fan the position of which is altered according to the speed of the locomotive in such manner, that the ratio of speed between the fans and the locomotives is varied when the speed of the locomotive changes, an apparatus for regulating the fan and the air catching device and influenced by the difference between the pressures .in two different places of the cooler caused by the passing air current.

5.'A locom'otive as claimed in claim 4 wherein the regulating apparatus consists of a diaphragm and a servo-motor designed for connecting the different sides of the diaphragm with parts of the air cooler standing under different pressures.

6. A locomotive as claimed in claim 2 wherein the adjustable transmission gear consists of gearing by which power is transmitted by means of friction between a rotating plane of' the fan, and a disk running on the same and which is movable in a radial direction relatively to the rotating plane of the fan.

In testimony whereof I afiix signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses:

P. H. BERGROBH, GRETA PRIM. 

